Compare towns
Bremen vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Waldoboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Waldoboro has the most renters (21.4% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bremen | Mapleton | Appleton | Waldoboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917Lowest |
1,884 |
1,360 |
5,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Highest 16% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
| Bremen and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
| Bremen and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kHighest 43% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,861 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min 3% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #55 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Medomak Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.